Now open: Chef Vue

Nearly five years after native Laotian Ma Vue graced Edgewater residents with US Thai Cafe -- which offers up some of the best curry in the city -- he's added a second restaurant in Denver: Chef Vue opened in the Town Center in Aurora two weeks ago.

While the kitchen uses the same recipes as the original west Denver spot, Vue makes it clear that this is not just a second outpost of US Thai. Instead, the restaurateur is offering several of his same dishes in an orange-hued, fast-casual setting with a cafeteria-like line that's intended to get diners in and out quickly.

Lori Midson

That change meant adjusting the menu for the mall crawlers, too, though an employee at Chef Vue tells us just about everything available at U.S. Thai is currently available -- or will be available -- at the new location. "We still have curries, noodles, papaya salad and the appetizers," he explains. In other words, it's the kind of joint that's a great respite when you've spent the day shopping -- and want to drop your excess change on something other than a soggy slice of pizza.

Chef Vue is open during the mall's regular hours, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.